Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Supply Chain Introduced

On March 12, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the “Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act.” The act is bipartisan legislation that would provide the U.S. with more ability to engage in trade negotiations in order to ensure that critical medical goods and services are delivered safely, quickly, and efficiently to patients in the U.S. and around the globe. 

Soumi Saha, senior vice president, Government Affairs, Premier, Inc., made a statement on behalf of Premier, praising the effort.

The statement said, “A strong and sustainable healthcare supply chain is essential for quality patient care and requires a multifaceted strategy that bolsters domestic manufacturing while cultivating trusted trade partnerships. Currently, many healthcare products are overly reliant on a single supplier, country, or region for manufacturing, leading to potential shortages and disruptions to patient care. True supply chain diversification requires a balanced approach of onshoring on U.S. soil, nearshoring with trusted trade partners and offshoring with global sourcing to achieve greater redundancy and minimize disruptions.

“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act will ensure a more diverse and secure supply network for critical medical products by reducing barriers to trade that undermine U.S. national security and supply chain stability. Premier urges Congress to act swiftly to pass the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act, securing uninterrupted access to essential healthcare supplies for providers and patients alike.”